Just Listen
by Konsui's Little Brother
Summary: It started in Fourth Year. A sentence said, an ear offered, the hand of friendship extended. To Ron, that was all it was. To Neville, it was more. By the time The War ended, they could both tell that.


A/N: Okay, this was beyond measure to write. It's a pure dialog piece and I hope you all enjoy! It was writeen for Gamma Orionis' challenge on the HPFC forums; _Not You OTP _Challenge.

* * *

><p>"Stupid bloody liar!"<p>

"Uhm, Ron?"

"Couldn't even bother to tell me!"

"...Ron?"

"Actin' like I'm the one wrong!"

"Ron!"

"What? Oh. Neville. It's just you."

"Yeah. Just me..."

"Do you _need_ something? Because I'm busy in here."

"Well, I just...I wanted to see if you were okay? I mean, you left Hagrid's class really quickly."

"I'm fine."

"Oh."

"...So you can leave now."

"..."

"What?"

"Well, it's just that you don't _look_ fine."

"Well I am!"

"...You were so caught up in kicking your bed when I came in that you didn't even realize I was here."

"So? What's that got to do with anything? Huh?"

"I just...I already told you. I just wanted to see if you were okay."

"You saw. Does that mean you'll leave _now_?"

"Maybe if you tell me what's wrong, I will."

"_Nothing's wrong!_"

"...Alright. Just...I guess I'll be down stairs if you change your mind."

"...D'ya know that git didn't even tell me?"

"Who?"

"Harry! He didn't even bother to _bloody tell me_!"

"You mean about entering the tournament? You think he did?"

"Of course he did! How else d'ya think his name got in there?"

"Oh, uh, I don't know? I haven't really thought about it much."

"Well I have and it's the only way his name could have gotten in there! With all the protections Dumbledore put up on the Goblet, you think he'd let people put in names that aren't their own?"

"No...No, I guess he wouldn't."

"That's right! He wouldn't!"

"So than, Harry didn't say anything to you about it?"

"No! Not a _bloody _word. We're supposed to be best mates and he didn't tell me that he found a way to get past the age wards and enter his name!"

"Did you want to enter?"

"No, I wanted to know how to get past age wards so I could steal my Mum's pickle jar from the pantry."

"Oh."

"I'm joking, Neville."

"I _know_! I'm bad at Potions, Ron, I'm not stupid."

"I never said you were!"

"..."

"Did I? 'Cause that wasn't what I meant at all!"

"I know it wasn't. Sorry. It's just...No, you were telling me about Harry?"

"Yeah, yeah I was, wasn't I? You know he's not speakin' to me?"

"He isn't?"

"No! I asked him why he hadn't let me in on the secret and he got all pissed off at me and stormed away!"

"Is that why you two didn't sit next to each other at breakfast earlier?"

"We wouldn't 'ave sat next to each other at dinner either if 'Mione hadn't been so annoying about it."

"She just doesn't think that two of you should be fighting. Harry's first task is tomorrow. It's dr-It's going to be really hard, I think. He's scared."

"Maybe if he didn't want to have to go through the challenges, he shouldn't have put his name in!"

"You know that the last time the Tri-Wizard Tournament was held, Durmstrang's champion was killed in the first round?"

"...He was?"

"Yeah. And the time before that, it was the Hogwarts champion in the final round."

"_Really_?"

"Hermione's really worried about Harry, Ron. I think...I spoke with Harry earlier and he said that he knew what the task was and that it had him really worried. He doesn't know how he'll beat it."

"Did he tell you what the task was?"

"Yeah. But he made me promise not to tell anyone. I think...Harry's going to have a really, _really_ hard time."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"You don't think he put his name in the Goblet, d'ya Neville?"

"No, not really. I don't think that Harry wanted the attention from it. He's not really one for the spotlight."

"I guess you're right...That's the whole reason you came up here, isn't it? Wanted to get me to realize that _I'm_ the one that's wrong and not Harry. Never Harry!"

"Actually, I think you're both wrong. I-I mean, you should've known that Harry didn't put his name in but he hasn't really been the star friend either, lately. And, like I said earlier, I just came up to see if everything was okay."

"...Really?"

"Uh-huh. I mean, I know we don't talk that much but I still like to think that we're friends. And since we're kinda friends and Harry's not around and Hermione's not really good at listening I just, well, I just figured I'd offer an ear."

"Oh. Well, uh, thanks. I guess...I guess just complaining to someone _was_ pretty nice. You gonna stay up here?"

"I...I don't think so. I usually spend free-periods helping Professor Sprout out in the Green Houses."

"_You do?_ Blimey, I always wondered where you went off too!"

"...I've invited you and Harry to come with me before."

"You have?"

"Yeah. And, uhm, the offer's still open once the Tournament's over."

"Don't want just me around? Waitin' for Harry, right?"

"_No_. I'm waiting for the Tournament to end because, until then, Professor Sprout doesn't want anyone else running around in there. She told me at the start of term. We're growing a lot of plants for healing potions and she doesn't want to risk anyone that doesn't know what they're doing getting hurt or trampling a plant we need."

"...Oh..."

"I don't want to be rude or anything but I think you should stop and think about things for a little bit. Harry barely _speaks_ to me. Why would I want to wait around just so I could have him down there with us?"

"I dunno. I guess I just figured-"

"Not everyone thinks Harry's the greatest student here. Just because he-Sorry. Never mind. I've got to get back down to the grounds. Professor Sprout's probably waiting for me. I guess we'll talk later?"

"Yeah, definitely. We'll talk later."

**~Late October, The Next Year~**

"Neville! Right on time I see."

"Hullo Professor Sprout."

"Are you ready to help me get these Shriveling Shrubs into the ground?"

"Yes ma'am. Just let me get my gloves on. Are we just transferring them today?"

"We might do a bit of pruning later but they really don't need much else done with them. You're welcome to putter around the Green House when we're done though, if you'd like to."

"Thanks, Professor Sprout. I think I will."

"No plans for this evening then, I gather?"

"No ma'am. Not really."

"What about that Weasley boy you were telling me about? The youngest one? Didn't you say awhile ago you thought he'd be joining you now that the dreadful Tournament is over?"

"...I don't think he's going to any more."

"Such a shame. You seemed so happy about him being interested in coming down here with you. There wasn't a spat, was there?"

"No ma'am. I just...I guess he's just busy."

"You haven't asked him yet?"

"I...We don't talk very much any more. Harry, Hermione, and him are all busy doing things together this year."

"..._Oh_. I'm very sorry to hear that, dear. You shouldn't let it get to you though! If he can't see what you were offering him, then it's his own fault. Go after someone that recognizes you for what you are, I always say, not because their famous. If you give him time, I'm sure he'll come around eventually."

"...I hope so..."

"Don't let it get you down, Neville dear! I'm sorry to have brought it up. Let's just work on these Shrubs, why don't we? Focus on our work and all that."

"Yes ma'am. That's...That's probably for the best anyhow."

**~After The Final Battle~**

"Neville? You in here?"

"What? Oh, Ron, it's just you. What are you doing out in the Green Houses? You don't need Professor Sprout do you? She's in the infirmary helping Madame Pomfrey."

"Huh? No, no. Actually, I was looking for _you_."

"You were?"

"Well, uh, yeah."

"What's wrong?"

"What happened to your _face_? It looks like you were _mauled_ by something!"

"That's because I _was_, Ron."

"_What_?"

"A spell the Carrows were found of using. It was my detention a while ago. Is that all you needed? Because I'm actually kind of busy down here."

"No! I mean, no, that isn't what I needed. I just...I hadn't realized you'd gotten hurt so badly!"

"Of course you didn't. You were too busy gallivanting off after Harry to notice. Neither of you thought about what would happen to us still at Hogwarts did you?"

"That's not true! We knew it was going to be bad over there! It's just..."

"You didn't think that having Snape as a Headmaster and Death Eaters as teachers would be _that _bad? No. That's a silly thought. Who ever would have guessed that people who supported the three of you would get punished for every move you lot decided to make. Not _me_!"

"Every move? What d'ya mean 'every move'?"

"Just what it sounds like, Ron. We were punching bags and target practice. Good to take their anger out on and curse for amusement. Nothing else."

"God, I'm so, _so_ sorry Neville! We didn't realize-"

"I know _you_ didn't, Ron, but Harry and Hermione did. At least, I know they both did after your run in at Luna's house. We were all just collateral damage in the grand scheme of things."

"But you still supported Harry?"

"No."

"What?"

"I said 'no'. I haven't 'supported Harry' since Fourth Year. I was just doing the right thing. And..."

"And what?"

"And I was supporting _you_, Ron. Not Harry. Not Hermione. _You_."

"M-me?"

"That's what I just said, isn't it?"

"Are you being serious?"

"I'm not too big on joking anymore."

"But-but why _me_?"

"Because!

"Because _why_?"

"Because I _know_ what you can do! What you _could_ do if you weren't always trying to follow after Harry and keep him out of trouble! I _know_ what sort of a wizard you're capable of being! And because I _bloody like you_!"

"...Oh. You..._Oh_."

"Yes, 'oh'. Now will you please excuse me? I should be getting these blooms up to the Infirmary."

"...Neville?"

"_What_?"

"I...What I came in to say...I mean, I like you too. It just took me a while to figure it out."


End file.
